An Apocalypse of Dragons
by Drag0nst0rm
Summary: The dragons may have escaped, but that doesn't mean the war is over.


**A/N: I don't own Fablehaven.**

* * *

"Is it just me, or are the dragons losing their touch?"

A burst of flame poured through a gap in the ruined stone wall. Seth threw up a hand and drained the air of the excess heat to keep it from cooking them.

"Like that," he complained. "We didn't even have to dodge that. My coat's not even scorched." Admittedly, the coat was made of wyvern leather, so it didn't really _get_ scorched, but the point stood.

"Are your really complaining about this?" Kendra demanded. She was crouched on the other side of the gap, hand tight around the hilt of an adamant blade.

"I'm not," Calvin said from Seth's pocket. "I'm okay with not getting scorched."

Seth patted the pocket apologetically. "Right. Sorry." His arm ached when he moved it. It felt like there was frost seeping into the bones. Shadow Charmer or not, if he brought down the heat again, he wasn't going to be able to move his left arm, and he didn't dare try it with his right. He had to have one hand free to use Vasilis.

At least the Somber Knight wasn't here. Seth could only imagine what he would have said to that. Probably something like, "Our enemy's strength may have faded like our own, but do not wish it greater. They will overcome us soon enough."

Oh, wait. He had actually said that last week. In front of the terrified group of people they'd had to evacuate from this town. That guy had _no_ sense of timing.

A pained roar came from the other side of the wall.

Okay, maybe he had _some_ sense of timing.

Seth and Kendra ran through the gap and onto the narrow street where they'd lured the dragon. The Somber Knight had leaped from the top of the burned out mayor's house onto the dragon's back and driven his sword down into her neck.

Unfortunately, the dragon wasn't quite dead yet. She was still thrashing around. Her tail whipped towards them -

Kendra's sword sliced sideways in a perfect arc. Seth jumped out of the way as the severed section of tail came crashing down. Blood gushed out into the street.

"What happened?" Calvin demanded.

The dragon stopped moving. Seth let out a long sigh of relief. "She's dead. We won."

The Somber Knight leaped down from the dragon's back. "Saryse is defeated, but it is only a small victory. Baling out one bucket of water will not save us now that the sanctuaries have been ripped open and the tide of dragons floods into our sinking shape."

"You're great for morale, you know that?" Seth turned to Kendra. "Any word from Bracken?"

"He's close," Kendra said. "By the time we're done here - Seth, down!"

Seth fell flat instantly, twisting so that he wouldn't crush Calvin. A blood red tail swept over him. He sprang to his feet the moment it was gone and drew Vasilis.

Heat spread through his limbs, driving back the brittle cold. He scanned for the threat.

Saryse had been a large gold dragon. This was a medium red dragon.

And it was crawling out of the split shell of her corpse.

"What are they, nesting dolls?" he yelped. "They're not supposed to be able to do that!"

"A wizard has done this," the Somber Knight said as he started edging around to get on - Saryse? Saryse Jr.? - the dragon's other side.

"I thought the wizards were on our side!" The dragon followed the sound of Kendra's voice and hissed fire at her.

Kendra dove out of the way. Seth brought up his left arm and drained the heat again. Vasilis kept his arm mobile, but he still cried out at the rush of cold.

"Of old not all of them were. Even now, betrayal is the way of the world."

"Don't we know it," Seth said through gritted teeth."Alright, then." He let Vasilis pull him forward.

Kendra and the Somber Knight attacked from opposite sides. Saryse: The Sequel whipped her head around, blowing fire at the knight while her tail lashed out at Kendra.

There was something wrong with her, Seth realized. Whatever had let her do this, it interfered with how she thought.

That might be why she hadn't spoken even once. And, for that matter, why there weren't any reports of her paralyzing anyone.

The crazed dragon didn't even notice him as he lunged forward and stabbed her through the heart.

Saryse II collapsed. Seth stood over her warily with his sword at the ready.

Unfortunately, the next nesting dragon didn't come out of the second one. Instead, a small bone white dragon burst out of the rear half of the first.

Right under Seth's feet.

"Oh, come on!" Seth cried as he landed hard on his back.

"That didn't sound good," Calvin said.

Seth didn't have time to answer. Vasilis was pulling him to his feet, but it wouldn't be quick enough. She was drawing in breath to spew flame.

A pearlescent sword erupted from her open mouth. Saryse the third collapsed.

This time, nothing erupted from the corpse. Although curiously, there was no one holding the sword either.

"Bracken!" Kendra said, sheathing her sword and running towards him.

Seth followed her gaze to the alley where the prince stood. His arm was still back from the throw.

"You threw your sword?" Seth asked incredulously. "You threw your special horn sword thing?"

"You're welcome," Bracken said before leaning down to kiss Kendra.

"Can I assume this means we're not all about to die anymore?" Calvin asked.

"Our inevitable demise has been delayed," the Somber Knight said.

"Yes," Seth translated. He surveyed the three corpses. "So since the Singing Sisters' dying request was for me to bring the head of the dragon that killed them to their graves, does that mean I need all three heads, or just the one that did the damage?"

"The covenant knife has ever been a demanding master," the Somber Knight said.

"I was afraid of that," Seth said. He got to work.


End file.
